maclean



3 Sheets-Sheet- 1'.

D. J. MAGLBAN.

(No Model.)

FIRE ESCAPE.

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A WITJ E SES l (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

D. J. MAGLEAN.

FIRE ESCAPE No. 328,953. Patented Oct. 27, 1885.

NITED STATES,

ATENT rarer.

DANIEL J. MAOLEAN, OF READING, PA., ASSIGNOR OF TWOTHIRDS TO GEORGE E. HAAK AND JOHN L. BARRETT, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.328,953, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed July 20, 1885. Serial No'. 172,036. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL J. llIAOLEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Reading, county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement is more particularly re lated to the class of fire-escapes permanently secured to and forming a part of the building.

The object of the improvement is to secure a ready retreat from a building on fire by an outside ladder, which in its normal condition is concealed within the walls of the building, but which upon an alarm of fire is instantaneously projected from the wall a sufficient distance to admit the safe descent thereon of the most portly person, as well as the debilitated, having sufficient vitality to grasp the rungs of the ladder and to use their limbs for the purpose of escape. It will also furnish a means of ascent to the firemen from the ground to any story or floor above the same.

In the use of my improvement there is no defacement of the building, no risk of the apparatus rusting away, and in the moment of need being found dangerous and inoperative. Once constructed no further expense is incurred for years. It is always ready for service, and a child twelve years of age can operate the escape for a building of many stories in height.

The drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification disclose very clearly to an expert the nature of my improvement, in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts of the same.

Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of a building having my improvement connected therewith, the fire-escape on the front being retracted, while the one upon the side of the building is projected therefrom and in use. Fig. 2 represents a sectional elevation of the escape-ladder, showing the rungs of the same projected through the wall,with their collars, bosses, or continuous rail to prevent slipping therefrom. Fig. 3 represents the wallin section with the rungs of the ladder retracted within the building, the rung bosses, collars, or rail lying against the face of the wall. Fig. 4. represents a portion of the front face of the wall, showing the rung bosses or collars. Fig. 5 is a similar portion of the inner face of the wall, showing the controlling-rod and its connection with links and. brackets therewith; Fig. 6, an end and front elevation of the link-bracket; Fig. 7, an end elevation and plan of a building-brick containing a sleeve; Fig.8, a side elevation and plan of the clamp-connection for the controlling and operating rods and radial links; Fig. 9, elevation and edge view of the radial links; Fig. 10, plan and side elevation of the intermediate stiffening connection for the controlling and operating rods; Fig. 11, a sectional side elevation of one of the ladder rungs or bars; Fig. 12, a top plan of the same; Fig. 13, an elevation, partly in section, of one of the sleeves. Fig. 14-. represents a side and front elevation of a portion of the casing-in of the device, showing the quadrantal slot in the case with the lifting'handle projecting through the same, in all of which- A represents the wall of the building, B perforations made therein at suitable distances apart, and preferably in a vertical line with each other. These perforations will be made in old walls by a hand-operated tool adapted to the purpose.

0 represents header-bricks, which, by suitable provision therefor may have the sleeves D centrally inserted, and the bricks burned with the sleeve in place. The sleeves are constructed with a collar, D, which lies snug against the inner face of the wall, and the body of such length as to lie flush with the outer face of the wall, the bore of the sleeve being such as to admit free but not loose play of the rungs E therein. The rung-body E has formed upon its outer end an integral or detachable head or collar, E, of such diameter as will, when retracted against the wall, hide the perforation B and its sleeve D. At the inner end of E a bifurcated attachment, E is made by a screw-thread or in any other convenient manner.

Within the jaws are two anti friction rollers, Eflprovided with semicircular grooved peripheries and separated the proper distance between centers to receive the operating-rod F, which extends of a uniform diameter through every floor of the building and between the rollers of each jaw E and is connected tothe main controlling-rod G by suitable clamps.

The clamps II are split longitudinally on plan, and are provided with ears H for a pivotal connection with the radial links J, and have a central side bolt, H, by which they are attached to or detached from the controlling and operating rods. The clamps I-I may also be cast or formed in a single piece, and have pinching-screws at their sides opposite the operating and controlling rods to secure the same in place; but I give preference to the form shown, as they can be shifted as desired from point to point with much less trouble.

The controlling-rod F must be of a uniform diameter from end to end. I prefer making it of gas-pipe, threaded upon the inside at the ends, and provided with screwed plugs projecting two or more inches within the same;

or the rods F may be of round bar-iron bored at one end and threaded, and provided with a correspondinglythreaded tenon at the oppositeend, which being entered within the bore and screwed up will form a continuous rod suitable for the purpose.

The operating-rod G may be constructed similar to the controlling-rod F; but I prefer to use the ordinary gas-pipe and make the extensions by means of couplings. The eyes G may be formed upon the ends of cylinders and subsequently screwed upon the pipe or rod.

Intermediate rod-stiffening clamps,I, are introduced as often as deemed necessary, and are secured to the rods by bolts I. They are on a plan (except the ears) similar to the clamps 'H. Radial links J are connected with the end eyes, G, of the operatingrod G by pins J, also at intermediate points to the ears H of the clamps. Preferably, one connection upon each floor served by the fire-escape brackets K are secured tothe wall or casing by bolts K, to receive the opposite ends of the links J, which pivot on pins secured in the ears of the same.

I prefer to counterbalance the weight of the rods and G by an overhead sheave, L, with shaft L, rope M, and counter-weight N, and to have upon each floor served by the escape a handle, Q, attached to the rod G at a suitable distance above the floor R and projecting through a radial slot, Q, in the casing Q, wall, or partition S inclosing the same, so that the rod G may be depressed or elevated without going inside of the case, wall, 850., within which itis placed; also, in connection therewith upon each floor served a gong, bell, or equivalent alarm, P, which will be operated automatically when the rod G is-drawn downward to project the ladder beyond the outer wall face, the movement releasing each alarm connected therewith, thus giving notice of danger to all the occupants of the building.

The sleeves D may be of cast-iron or any suitable metal, of round, square, or oblong cross-section, and if not embedded in special bricks will be built into the walls as they are erected. The connection between the rungs or bars and the operative rod being without joint, the distortion of position occasioned by the settlement of the building will not affect the operation of the escape. I prefer to make the sleeves of brass, in which case the rungs may be left of plain bar-iron; but if of cast-iron the rungs should then be protected by galvanizing or some equivalent process to prevent corrosion and adhesion of parts.

Upon ordinary buildings the bosses or collars E may be discarded, and a continuous hand rail or plate, E, be secured to the rungs in place thereof.

To operate the device, fire being discovered in any portion of the building served by the escape, the party making the discovery proceeds to the location of the escape, and catching hold of the projected handle Q, pulls downward upon the same. This draws with it the controlling and operating rods GF, through the clamp-connections H. I. The controlling rod G, suspended as it is by the radial links J from the brackets K, as it descends moves to Ward the inner face of'the' Wall of the building, carrying with itthe operating-rod F. As the latter has an anti-friction connection with rungs or bars E, the latter partake of the horizontal movement of the rods, and are moved outward through the sleeves D, and

forming a substantial and safe ladder for descent from the several floors or access to the building from the ground.

After the fire the handle Q is pulled upward, and the weight being counterbalanced this is done with ease, and reverses the horizontal movement of the rods F G,and retracts the rungs or bars E until their bosses E or plate E lie flush against the wall, thus effect ually preventing the use of the escape for burglar-ions purposes when danger from fire and escape from the building are not contemplated.

The escapes are preferably located between the windows, as shown, thereby permitting persons to use the ladder from both sides without interference, as in practice the occupants would alternately take position upon the same from the opposite windows. The escape will form a ready means of carrying hose to the highest door by the firemen, a feat now difficult of execution, owing to the overhead wires of telegraph, telephone, and electric light companies debarring the use of long fireman-ladders.

I am aware that square or rectangular boxes termed thimbles, provided with a crossbar and suspended door have been built into walls with the door-face of the thilnble flush with the outer face of the wall, to be used as a fire-escape, and I do not, therefore, broadly claim the same, (see Patent No. 282,413, July be the first to build or subsequently introduce within the walls of buildings sleeves perforated to form a guide for a ladder-rung, said the bifurcated jaws E and rollers E of the 31, 1883, Thompson;) but I believe myself to projected from the outer face of the wall, thus sleeve projecting entirely through the wall from front to rear of the same, and secured against withdrawal from the exterior of the building by a collar upon its inner end.

Having shown the construction, use, and advantages of my improved fire-escape, I desire to secure by Letters Patent the following claims thereon:

1. As an improvement in the construction of fire-escapes,sleeves of round, square, or oblong cross-section inserted or built within the walls of the building and passing entirely through the same at uniform distances between centers, having collars abutting against the inner face of the wall and their outer ends flush with the same being perforated to admit, pass freely through, and support a series of rungs or bars in the aggregate forming a ladder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. As an improvement in the construction of fireescapes, a series of rungs or bars provided with integral or detachable bosses or collars at their outer ends, and with detachable bifurcatedinner ends, said bifurcated jaws provided with grooved anti-friction rollers suitably spaced to admit a rod between the same,in combination with the perforated wall sleeves D and an operating-rod, F, substan tially as shown, and for the purpose described.

3. As an improvement in fire-escapes, the continuous rods F and G, constructed as described, combined by clamps H I, and suspended and supported upon end and intermediate radial links from wall-brackets, the rod F passing between the anti-friction rollers of each rung of the series, the rod G provided with handles Q upon each floor, in combination with the rungs or bars E, jaws E sleeves D, bosses E, and rail E, whereby the raising or lowering of the rods by, the handle Q, will retract toward or project from the outer face of the wall a ladder, as and for the purpose speclfied.

4. The clamps H, with pivotal ears H and 45 clamping-bolt H in combination with rods F G, links J, brackets K, and handles Q, whereby the rods are stiffened and caused to operate in unison with the rungs E, as and for the purpose disclosed. l

5. As an improved article of manufacture, a fire-escape composed, essentially, of the following elements: sleeves suitably secured in the wall of the building,rungs orbars E, movable therein, provided with collars E,or handrail E at their outer ends, with bifurcated jaws E and anti-friction rollers E at their inner ends, operatingrod F, continuous in length and diameter, engaging with the entire series of rollers E", and connected to a controllingrod, G, by clamps H and I, said rod suspended and supported by end and intermediate radial links, J, pins J, and brackets K, having handles Q upon each floor, with alarms I, automatically released, and countertbala'nce L, M, and N, all arranged and combined to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

DANIEL J. MAOLEAN.

Witnesses:

J AMES R. K ENNEY, H. P. Knrsnn. 

